In defeat for Trump, judge blocks transgender military ban

(Reuters) - A federal judge in Washington on Monday blocked President Donald Trump from banning transgender people from serving in the U.S. military, handing a victory to transgender service members who accused the president of violating their constitutional rights.

Trump announced in July that he would ban transgender people from the military in a move that would reverse Democratic former President Barack Obama’s policy of accepting them and halt years of efforts to eliminate barriers to military service based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

The transgender service members sued in August to try to block the ban, which had not yet gone into effect, and U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly granted them an injunction halting enforcement of it until their case is resolved.

The service members asserted that Trump’s policy violated their rights to due process and equal protection under the law under the U.S. Constitution. Kollar-Kotelly said the plaintiffs were likely to succeed in their claim that the ban was unconstitutional because the administration’s reasons for it “do not appear to be supported by any facts.”

After his policy announcement on Twitter, Trump signed a memorandum in August that directed the military not to accept transgender people as recruits and halted the use of government funds for sex-reassignment surgeries for active-duty personnel unless the process was already underway.

The memo called on Defense Secretary James Mattis to submit a plan to Trump by Feb. 21 on how to implement the changes, and the Pentagon has created a panel of senior officials for that purpose. In the meantime, the current policy of allowing transgender people to serve remains in force.

Mattis in June already had delayed allowing transgender recruits to join the U.S. armed forces on July 1 as previously scheduled.

The judge tossed out the suit’s challenge to the sex-reassignment surgery directive, saying none of the plaintiffs had shown they would be impacted by that prohibition.

"The only thing we have to fear is.... fear itself!" Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
"Be afwaid. Be berry afwaid" Donald Trump.

The optimists built this country and made it great- not the fearful. Fear can only destroy.

More liberal judge bull$#@!. Sex re-$#@!ery surgery takes the soldier out of combat ready status. The U.S. military should not be the place that someone signs for six years and stays out of active service ability for half the time in order to become something they are not.
I'm fine if they want to do it on their dime and then join the military, but the military should not be the place to full-fill your sex change desires.

Theye have refused their Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

Theye have erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.

Theye kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies

Theye have combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution,

For protecting them, by a mock Trial from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:

For cutting off our Trade with parts of the world:

For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefit of Trial by Jury:

Theye plundered and destroyed the lives of our people.

Theye are at this time transporting Armies of Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & Perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy of a civilized nation.

More liberal judge bull$#@!. Sex re-$#@!ery surgery takes the soldier out of combat ready status. The U.S. military should not be the place that someone signs for six years and stays out of active service ability for half the time in order to become something they are not.
I'm fine if they want to do it on their dime and then join the military, but the military should not be the place to full-fill your sex change desires.

Judge ruled that the military could refuse the sex surgery. They are on their own if they want that.

However, the judge denied the plaintiff's motion to block the ban on funds for gender reassignment surgery.

Ah, well, that I agree with. But, again, even if it is on their own dime they need to do that before joining. All military personnel should remain combat ready. This includes women that choose to become pregnant while serving, IMHO.

Theye have refused their Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

Theye have erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.

Theye kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies

Theye have combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution,

For protecting them, by a mock Trial from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:

For cutting off our Trade with parts of the world:

For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefit of Trial by Jury:

Theye plundered and destroyed the lives of our people.

Theye are at this time transporting Armies of Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & Perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy of a civilized nation.

I know that everyone at RPF insists upon worshipping at the feet of journalists, such as the distinguished members of the profession at Reuters and the Hill. Their pure, unbiased relating of the decision is truly inspiring.

For the one or two who might want to read the ACTUAL wording of the decision, here is a link. Note: large PDF warning.

"They sell us the president the same way they sell us our clothes and our cars. They sell us every thing from youth to religion the same time they sell us our wars. I want to know who the men in the shadows are. I want to hear somebody asking them why. They can be counted on to tell us who our enemies are but theyre never the ones to fight or to die." - Jackson Browne Lives In The Balance

Theye have refused their Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

Theye have erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.

Theye kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies

Theye have combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution,

For protecting them, by a mock Trial from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:

For cutting off our Trade with parts of the world:

For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefit of Trial by Jury:

Theye plundered and destroyed the lives of our people.

Theye are at this time transporting Armies of Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & Perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy of a civilized nation.

It is interesting that courts now get to reverse any action taken by the President. Somehow that doesn't seem like the plan originally envisioned by the Constitution.

Twitter: B4Liberty@USAB4L"Foreign aid is taking money from the poor people of a rich country, and giving it to the rich people of a poor country." - Ron Paul
"Beware the Military-Industrial-Financial-Corporate-Media-Government Complex." - B4L update of General Dwight D. Eisenhower
"Debt is the drug, Wall St. Banksters are the dealers, and politicians are the addicts." - B4L
"Totally free immigration? I've never taken that position. I believe in national sovereignty." - Ron Paul

The views and opinions expressed here are solely my own, and do not represent this forum or any other entities or persons.

Is the president not subject to the courts for anything? Are his powers unlimited? Is everything he does legal? The courts decided if his actions are legal or not.

So the justice branch could determine that he needed to fight all wars with rubber band guns?

Theye have refused their Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

Theye have erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.

Theye kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies

Theye have combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution,

For protecting them, by a mock Trial from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:

For cutting off our Trade with parts of the world:

For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefit of Trial by Jury:

Theye plundered and destroyed the lives of our people.

Theye are at this time transporting Armies of Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & Perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy of a civilized nation.

To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces;

To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia

meaning that they, not the President, gets to set the rules for who and how they get to serve in the Army. The President is Commander in Chief of the military the Congress provides to him. Article One, section 8. https://www.usconstitution.net/xconst_A1Sec8.html

Last edited by Zippyjuan; 10-30-2017 at 09:19 PM.

"The only thing we have to fear is.... fear itself!" Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
"Be afwaid. Be berry afwaid" Donald Trump.

The optimists built this country and made it great- not the fearful. Fear can only destroy.

So the justice branch could determine that he needed to fight all wars with rubber band guns?

He could instruct his entire staff to wear pink tutus, and maybe that would stick.

Twitter: B4Liberty@USAB4L"Foreign aid is taking money from the poor people of a rich country, and giving it to the rich people of a poor country." - Ron Paul
"Beware the Military-Industrial-Financial-Corporate-Media-Government Complex." - B4L update of General Dwight D. Eisenhower
"Debt is the drug, Wall St. Banksters are the dealers, and politicians are the addicts." - B4L
"Totally free immigration? I've never taken that position. I believe in national sovereignty." - Ron Paul

The views and opinions expressed here are solely my own, and do not represent this forum or any other entities or persons.

Is the president not subject to the courts for anything? Are his powers unlimited? Is everything he does legal? The courts decided if his actions are legal or not.

Apparently as long as it has to do with dropping bombs on other nations, it's all good.

Twitter: B4Liberty@USAB4L"Foreign aid is taking money from the poor people of a rich country, and giving it to the rich people of a poor country." - Ron Paul
"Beware the Military-Industrial-Financial-Corporate-Media-Government Complex." - B4L update of General Dwight D. Eisenhower
"Debt is the drug, Wall St. Banksters are the dealers, and politicians are the addicts." - B4L
"Totally free immigration? I've never taken that position. I believe in national sovereignty." - Ron Paul

The views and opinions expressed here are solely my own, and do not represent this forum or any other entities or persons.

meaning that they, not the President, gets to set the rules for who and how they get to serve in the Army. The President is Commander in Chief of the military the Congress provides to him.

I will bet they have delegated power to the executive branch in all matters that they do not legislate on, and the rules did not allow insane perverts to serve until O'Bummer issued an EO without Congress permission, so put it back where it was can't be wrong.

Never attempt to teach a pig to sing; it wastes your time and annoys the pig.

Robert Heinlein

Give a man an inch and right away he thinks he's a ruler

Groucho Marx

I love mankindÖitís people I canít stand.

Linus, from the Peanuts comic

You cannot have liberty without morality and morality without faith

Alexis de Torqueville

Those who fail to learn from the past are condemned to repeat it.
Those who learn from the past are condemned to watch everybody else repeat it

Bit off topic but in another "major setback for Trump", Vice President in "House of Cards" Kevin Spacey has come out as gay after he was accused of sexual assault.
In another setback, Trump's poll numbers have fallen to lowest levels according to non-fakenews outlets.

Bit off topic but in another "major setback for Trump", Vice President in "House of Cards" Kevin Spacey has come out as gay after he was accused of sexual assault.
In another setback, Trump's poll numbers have fallen to lowest levels according to non-fakenews outlets.

My sarcasm detector may need calibrating, but I'm trying to figure out how Kevin Spacey trying to play the gay card to as a get-out-of-prosecution-free card is somehow a setback for Trump.

The government is appealing Kollar-Kotelly's ruling, and on Wednesday asked her to put the Jan. 1 requirement on hold while the appeal proceeds. In asking the judge to put the requirement on hold, the government said the gay rights groups behind the lawsuit that started the case oppose the request.
The government asked Kollar-Kotelly for a decision by Dec. 11.